Government

How to pay KRA via M-PESA in 2026: paybill 222222, PRN, and the five ways to lose money

Kenya Revenue Authority M-PESA paybill is 222222. Full PRN flow, USSD *572# shortcut, iTax steps, and the five common failure modes.

by Arnold Ochieng Reviewed by Michael Mwangi 9 min read Updated 26 August 2026Verified 26 Aug 2026

Paying KRA via M-PESA looks simple on the surface (paybill 222222, account = your Payment Registration Number) but every year thousands of Kenyans still lose track of a payment for one of five predictable reasons. This guide is the short, exhaustive version: how to generate a PRN, what to type on M-PESA, and the specific traps that route your money into suspense.

Step 1: generate a PRN on iTax

The PRN is a unique reference number that tells KRA which tax obligation your payment clears. Without it, your money lands in suspense and the obligation stays open.

Go to itax.kra.go.ke and log in with your KRA PIN and password.
From the iTax menu, choose Payments then Payment Registration.
Select the tax head (PAYE, Income Tax, VAT, Withholding Tax, Customs, Excise, Rental Income Tax, Turnover Tax).
Select the tax period (e.g. Jan 2026 for a monthly return, or 2025 for annual individual income tax).
Enter the amount you owe (must match to the shilling).
Choose payment method: Mobile Money, Safaricom.
iTax issues a PRN like KRA20261225A123456Z. Save the PDF; the PRN is valid for 30 days.

Step 2: pay via M-PESA paybill 222222

On your Safaricom line, open M-PESA then Lipa na M-PESA then Pay Bill.
Enter business number 222222.
Paste your PRN as the account number.
Enter the exact amount from the PRN.
Confirm with your M-PESA PIN.

iTax typically posts the payment against your ledger within 30 minutes. During peak filing weeks (mid-January, mid-April, mid-June, mid-July, mid-September) reconciliation can lag up to 24 hours. Check My Ledger for confirmation.

The *572# USSD shortcut

Dial *572# from your registered Safaricom line for KRA services without opening iTax:

Retrieve your KRA PIN.
Reset your iTax password.
Check TCC (Tax Compliance Certificate) status.
Request a PRN reprint (a saved PRN redelivered via SMS).
File Nil returns.

*572# does not accept payment; it is a companion menu. The final payment step is still Paybill 222222 with the PRN as account.

The five ways to lose track of the money

Wrong PRN. Typed instead of pasted; missing a character; last year's PRN reused. The money posts to KRA but not to your obligation.
Fix: raise a Payment Issues ticket in iTax with the M-PESA reference and the correct PRN. KRA can reassign within the same tax type in 48 hours.
Wrong tax head. PRN generated for VAT when the debt is PAYE.
Fix: KRA cannot move money between tax types automatically; you either apply for a refund and repay, or apply the credit to future obligations of the same head.
Amount mismatch. Underpayment leaves a balance; overpayment creates a credit.
Fix: file the debit balance with a fresh PRN or claim the credit through iTax.
Expired PRN. 30 days elapsed; the M-PESA transaction may fail at the paybill layer, or post to suspense.
Fix: generate a new PRN, pay again. If money already went, open a helpdesk ticket to re-apply.
Third-party SIM. Employer, spouse, or agent sending on your behalf. Payment posts against the SIM owner's phone number reference; KRA still matches on PRN, so the payment is fine, but the mismatch shows up in bank recon audits later.

If iTax still shows the tax as unpaid after 24 hours

Email callcentre@kra.go.ke with subject line Payment not reflected - PRN [your PRN]. Attach:

M-PESA SMS screenshot (10-character reference).
PRN PDF.
Your KRA PIN.

Alternative: call the KRA Contact Centre on 020 4 999 999 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm). Or walk into a KRA-manned Huduma Centre counter with the same documents. Read the full flow at KRA PRN not reflecting: what to do.

Sources

KRA public notice, Tax Payment through PayBill Number 222222, 17 November 2023, kra.go.ke.
Kenya Gazette No. 16008/2022 on the Government Single Payment Platform.
iTax portal, itax.kra.go.ke, retrieved 26 August 2026.
KRA *572# USSD menu (live on Safaricom lines).

FAQ

Is KRA still on 572572?

Yes. 572572 is still a live KRA paybill, alongside the Government Single Payment Platform number 222222 introduced under Kenya Gazette No. 16008/2022. Both work. The PRN slip you generate on iTax names the paybill to use for that obligation, so read the slip rather than assuming.

What is *572# and how does it help?

KRA operates a self-service USSD, *572#, for balance checks, PIN retrieval, TCC status, and PRN reprint requests without logging into iTax. It does not accept payments on its own; you still complete payment via M-PESA paybill 222222 with the PRN as account.

Can I pay KRA without a PRN?

No. Without a PRN the money lands in a KRA suspense account, unreconciled. Your obligation remains open, and clearing the suspense requires a manual re-attribution ticket with the M-PESA code and correct PRN.

What if the amount in my M-PESA does not match the PRN?

A short payment posts partially and leaves the balance unpaid. An overpayment posts fully and creates a credit KRA can either refund or re-apply to another obligation of the same tax head via iTax. Never a loss of money; usually a delay of 48 hours.